Spring-socket for curtain-rods.



W. H. EDSALL & P. LA 0. LATHROP. SPRING SOCKET FOR CURTAIN RODS.APPLICATION FILED DEC. 9, 1913,

1,095,718. Patented May 5,1914.

wwwwmc WH EZO'AILL l wa ntoz J COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH COUWASHINGTON, D. c,

e z 3 a WILLIAM H. EDSALL AND FRANK LA OTIS LATHPOP, OF WALLINGFORD,CONNECTI- CUT, ASSIG-NORS TO H. L. JUDD COMPANY, OF WALLINGFOR-D,CONNECTICUT, A

CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SPRING-SOCKET FOR CURTAIN-RODS.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, WVILLIAM H. EDSALL andFRANK LA OTIS LATHROP, citizens of the United States, residing at\Vallingford, New Haven county, State of 7 Connecticut, have inventedcertain new and useful Improve ments in Spring-Sockets for Curtain-Rods,

of which the following is a full, clear, and

exact description.

Our invention relates to an improved construction of spring socket forthe ends' partly in elevation, illustrating one e1nbodi.

ment of the invention. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the parts shown inFig. 1. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view similar to Fig. 1 butshowing a modified form of stem end abutment. Fig. i is an end elevationof the parts shown in Fig. 3.

The spring socket of the present invention is designed to receive oneend of a curtain pole or other similar hanger and provides a supportupon which is slidably mounted a coupling sleeve normally spring pressedoutwardly which may be retracted by hand to permit the insertion of theend of the curtain rod, whereupon the spring Wlll throw the couplingsleeve outwardly into holdingand supporting engagement With the end ofthe rod.

In the drawings, 1 designates the main supporting body of the fixture,this body comprising preferably an attaching plate having the stemportion 1 extending outwardly therefrom. The stem portion 1 ispreferably made from solid .stock and adjacent its outer end is reducedin diameter forming an inner and annular abutment shoulder 3 and areduced shank portion 2 extending forwardly therefrom. The end of thisreduced shank portion is provided with an outer abutment member. Thismay be.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 9, 1913.

Patented llliay 5, 1914.

Serial No. 805,517.

formed by providing the extremity of the shank 2 with a tenon l ofreduced diameter, a washer 5 being seated over said tenon and againstthe end of the shank 2, the end of the tenon 4 being then upset againstthe washer 5 to hold the same rigid with the end of the shank. Or, thetenon 4, may be dispensed with and the shank 2 may merely be slightlyextended and then itself upset, as at 5 in Fig. 3 the upset endproviding an annular abutment. This abutment, whichever method isemployed, is not formed until the coupling sleeve and its cooperatingparts is mounted upon the end of the rod in cooperative relationthereto.

This coupling sleeve forms the socket for the end of the curtain rod andis preferably in the shape of a tubular sheet metal member 6 open atboth ends and at a point intermediate its ends being pressed in orindented to provide an annular abutment surface 7, fixed within thesleeve. This annular abutment surface is intended to be normally pressedagainst the outer or end abutment of the stem shank 2, by means of asuitable spring mounted upon the shank and acting at one end against itsabutment shoulder S and at the other against this annular shoulderabutment 7 of the coupling sleeve. In order to render this action mosteffective, we prefer to employ a spring cage within the coupling sleeve,and to this end cupped washers 8 of less diameter than the internaldiameter of the sleeve are employed. A coiled spring 9 extends betweenthese cupped washers and is caged thereby. It will, of course, beunderstood that the spring socket described herein is designed toreceive one end of a curtain rod or similar supporting device, the otherend of said rod being engaged in a suitable support or socket of anydesired construction, or, two sockets similar to the one describedherein may be employed.

In the construction of the device, the coupling sleeve with theintermediate annular abutment surface 7 formed therein, and with thespring cage and spring mounted within its inner end, is slipped over theend of the shank portion 2 of the stem, one cupped washer 8 engaging theannular abutment 7 and the other engaging the annular abutment shoulder3 of the shank. This operation is accomplished before the outer end ofthe shank 2 is provided with its abutment or 5 as the case may be. W henthus assembled, the outer end of the shank 2 is then provided with itsannular abutment as heretofore described, thus locking the couplingsleeve on the stem portion 1. The forward face of the sleeve abutment 7will engage with the outer shank abutment 5 or 5 which acts as a stop tolimit forward or projected movement of the coupling sleeve. T he rearface of the annular abutment will be engaged by the cupped washer 8 atthe forward end of the spring cage so that the tendency of the coiledspring 9 will be normally to move the coupling sleeve forward until itsabutment 7 engages the stop abutment 5 of the stem shank. The couplingsleeve, however, may be moved rearwardly by hand, compressing the coiledspring and moving the annular abutment a ainst the spring cage andrearwardly of the shank abutment so that the end of the curtain rod maybe positioned in line with the coupling sleeve and will be receivedtherein wh n the sleeve is released and is again projected by itsspring. In order to steady the sliding action of the coupling sleeve andto guide it upon the stem, the inner end of the sleeve is preferablyrolled or spun in as at 10 guiding thesleeve on the main stem portion 1but without binding. While we prefer to employ the cupped washers 8 toprovide a spring cage, as this makes the action of the spring moreuniform, nevertheless, these washers may be dispensed with and the endsof the spring may engage respectively with the annular shoulder 3 or itsequivalent and with the annular abutment 7.

While we have herein described and shown a preferable embodiment of ourinvention, it will, of course, be understood that the same issusceptible of StIUCtUtl variation within the spirit of the inventionand the scope of the appended claims.

hat we claim, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described, a supporting plate having astem projecting therefrom, said stem having an inner abutment thereonadjacent its end and having said end reduced in size relative to thebody of the stem and provided with an outer abutment at its extremity, acoupling sleeve slidably mounted upon and inclosing the end of said stemand having an abutment sur face fixed there-within between said innerand outer stem abutments, and a coiled spring within said sleeve actingagainst said inner stem abutment and said sleeve abut ment, and normallytending to project said sleeve to engage its abutment with said outerstem abutment.

2. In a device of the character described, a supporting plate having astem projecting therefrom, said stem adjacent its end being reduced indiameter to provide an inner annular abutment shoulder, and having itseX- tremity provided with an outer annular abutment, a coupling sleevemounted upon and inclosing the end portion of said stem and having anannular abutment surface fixed there-within between said inner and outerstem abutments, and a coiled spring within said sleeve acting againstsaid inner stem abutment shoulder and said sleeve abutment and normallytending to move said sleeve to engage its annular abutment with saidouter stem abutment.

3. In a device of the character described, a supporting plate having astem projecting therefrom, said stem adjacent its end being reduced indiameter to provide an inner abutment shoulder thereon, and having its.

extremity provided with an outer annular abutment, a coupling sleeveslidably mounted upon and inclosing the end portion of said stem, saidsleeve being indented intermediate its ends to provide an annularabutment surface fixed there-within between said inner and outer stemabutments, spaced cupped washers slidably mounted upon the reducedportion of said stem, and a coiled spring inclosing said reduced stemportion and engaging and caged by said cupped washers, said springacting through said washers against said inner stem abutment shoulderand said annular sleeve abutment, and normally tending to move saidsleeve outwardly to engage its abutment with said outer stem abutment.

VILLIAM H. EDSALL. FRANK LA OTIS LATHROP.

lVit-nesses AL ERT M. WVoonwonrr-r, RoswELL D. Pnnnrns.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

